


Nocturne

by anovelblogwrites



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: fluffy angst??, idk but it's soft, this is like.... angsty fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 10:58:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17202227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anovelblogwrites/pseuds/anovelblogwrites
Summary: “You know…” Nikolai said before taking a heavy breath. He didn’t wait for her to respond, and it was then that Alina realized that he thought she was asleep. “For a while, I thought the darkness would never let go of me.”





	Nocturne

It seemed to Alina that the king of Ravka never stopped talking. 

In the morning, his speech was not a slow, deep rumble. The words came out fast, tripping over his tongue, as if he were making up for lost time. He filled Alina in on the ideas and dreams that came to him overnight, despite her bleary, detached gaze. He spoke with his mouth full--even at dinner parties. 

And as if that wasn’t enough, Nikolai often talked in his sleep. Nonsensically mumbling about potential trade routes or making disjointed arguments for tax increases on the wealthy. Or so she thought--even while resting, his brain worked fast. His sleeping, slurring lips couldn’t keep up. 

Most of the time, Alina could ignore it. But sometimes, she found herself thinking that if Nikolai was going to keep sleep talking, she was going to go back to keeping a separate bedroom. 

She couldn’t quite make out what he was saying now--he must’ve been facing the other direction--but the words she could pick out had her straining to listen: love… monster… her name, whispered in quiet reverence. 

They were words that had no place in a grand speech for the court, real or imagined. Because Nikolai wasn’t dreaming at all. He was awake. And these words, soft and tentative, were for her. 

“You know…” Nikolai said before taking a heavy breath. He didn’t wait for her to respond, and it was then that Alina realized that he thought she was asleep. “For a while, I thought the darkness would never let go of me.” 

The confession hung heavy in the air. 

“But you led me out of the dark. You still do.” 

She wanted to roll onto her side, pull Nikolai in close and do just that. But perhaps even more, she wanted to listen. He was never this honest. So Alina willed herself into utter stillness, not allowing the rustling of sheets or her breathing to muffle Nikolai’s low voice. 

“I can’t chase it away like you can,” he continued. “But I can be here, every night, to hold you through it.” 

His voice was soft and careful, but the words were as weighted as a promise. And, as if to keep it, Nikolai wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. His heartbeat reverberated through her own ribs. His fingertips skimmed over her arms, the swell of her shoulder before brushing away the hair that was splayed across her cheek, tangled in her eyelashes. 

And in that moment, it was as if the Darkling’s curse wasn’t still clinging to him. The hands that held her had never been touched by darkness or felt the chill of death. The hands that held her were warm and tender. She reached for one, and silently slipped her fingers between his. 

She squeezed it once, her own promise to be there, too.

**Author's Note:**

> i..... love them sm 
> 
> (anyway, i wrote this because i needed a break from the Angsty thing i'm writing for them so be on the lookout for that)


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